How to Use Video for Every Stage of The Customer’s Life Cycle

So, I’m guessing you already know that using video in your marketing strategy is just a genius move. Right?

Well, wait a moment. Video is an amazing tool, yes. But, if you want it to give you the best results, you must use video in a smart way.

This is because there are lots of different types and styles of video, and not all of them are meant to be used at just any moment.

Different types of video cover different necessities, and if you can identify these necessities, you will be able to deliver the correct video at the correct time. That is what I call a recipe for success!

Ok, so, how can you identify this? It all comes down to the customer’s life cycle, or buyer’s journey.

The Customer’s Life Cycle

When we talk about the customer’s life cycle, we’re talking about the active process your customers go through in order to buy your product.

Also called the buyer’s journey, it starts the moment your customers realize they’re, somehow, in need; and they start looking for solutions for that.

Our goal here, as marketers, is to use video content to effectively solve our customer’s problems. Doing this, you will help viewers recognize their problems; educate them by showing all solutions; and nurture them down the path of choosing your product as their best solution.

When you know which type of video to use in every stage of the customer’s life cycle, you’ll be addressing the needs of your clients in every stage.

This way, you’ll be generating organic visits, exactly what your inbound marketing is craving! Let’s learn more about these three stages, and how to generate the best content for each one.

The Three Stages

Awareness Stage

This is where it all starts!

During this stage, your potential customers become aware that they’re in need. They have a problem, or they’re facing a challenge; right now they’re just researching about it. They may not even have any buying intention, yet.

As your prospects are just researching for now, your brand’s job is to provide useful content for them. Also, use this chance to give the best first impression you can!

Commercial Ads

If you want to give a strong first impression, the best thing you can do is share your brand’s values with your leads. The way to do this is by using a commercial ad.

Commercial ads use an engaging script to engage your future customers and show them what your brand is all about. Let’s look at this example:

Educational Videos

Everybody loves to learn new things. Even more so if they’re learning with an educational video: they’re fun, engaging and interesting. And also, easily shareable!

Right now your prospects are looking for information, and this is exactly what you should be giving them.

There are lots of ways you could be doing an educational video (for example, using a whiteboard video!), but one of the most fun ways is to create a cartoon animated video, like this one:

Consideration Stage

During the first stage, your prospects were becoming aware of their problems, well, right now they’ve acknowledge them, and they’re actively looking for answers.

Your potential customers are considering many options. All of them might be useful for them to solve their problems, so, how can you show that your product is the best solution?

Right now, you have to show your products and their great qualities; but you should also use this chance to educate your audience. You want them to know how to recognize the best product when they see it, so they can make an informed and true buying decision.

Product Videos

If you want your prospects to know how great your product is, you should be using a product video.

This is the one that will show your products in action, being used by real people (if you choose to make a live action type of product video). You can also use a screencast product video (if your product is a digital one), or an animated video.

How-to Videos

Your prospects still have a lot of questions, and your job right now is to answer them. Do this with how-to videos!

How-to videos are great for educating your audience and answering their questions in a fun and entertaining way.

Whiteboard videos are the ones that explain things using a continuous black drawing on a white background (resembling a whiteboard).

They’re fun and entertaining. Let me show you an example!

Motion Graphics Videos

Motion Graphics Videos are fantastic if you want to go with a more sophisticated approach. They use colorful but elegant animations to explain complex concepts or products in an educational way.

Cartoon Marketing Videos

Cartoon Animated Videos are a bit more light. By using high-quality animated characters as a way to explain your brand and product, your customers will be able to identify with them, and engage quickly.

Decision Stage

The final stage, the moment of truth! During the decision stage, your prospects will be actually making the buying decision. But, if they haven’t bought anything yet, it’s because they still have some doubts.

About Us videos are great for your brand, because they will help you build customer trust. Potential customers want to feel like they really know the brand they’re about to purchase from, and with these videos, you’re giving them just that.

It’s important that your videos are authentic: show the real people and the real teams behind your brand.

Let’s look at this example:

Testimonials and Case Studies

Do you want to increase your prospect’s confidence in your brand and product? Well, the way to do this is by using testimonial videos.

Testimonials are the validation that your prospects need right now, to finally complete the purchase. But, for this type of video to succeed, there is one simple rule: The stories must be authentic.

Show real customers, real advocates of your brand sharing their stories. This will help your viewers engage, and take the final step of the buying decision!

This is called the delight stage. Let’s say it’s a “non-official” part of the journey, but it’s still such an important one! If you want to have loyal customers that come back to you, and generate additional sales, you must have additional content that offers real value to them.

There are some videos that work great for this stage, like Upsell Videos (which offer products that relate to the one they’ve already bought), Video Updates, Thank You Videos… The trick here is to go the extra mile.

Be thankful, be thoughtful, but most importantly, be useful: keep providing useful content for your customers.

In summary…

The customer’s life cycle is every step that your customers make, since the moment that they become aware of their problems, to the moment they solve them with a purchase.

This life cycle is made up of three basic stages (and one extra!), awareness, consideration and decision. Knowing these three stages means that you’ll know exactly the needs of your customers in every stage.

Why? So you can deliver the answers they need, with the right video content at the right moment.

And just like that, you’re using your video content in a smart way. Time to celebrate!

If you’re like me, and you like to celebrate with more useful information, take a look at our video marketing resources! Free e-books, infographics and more, so you can learn how to use video to boost your marketing campaign. Enjoy!